4WD Touring Australia – June 2018

(Ben Green) #1
A re is a must whenever you camp, but never more so than during a
HC winter.
Wood can be a bit damp so relighters will make life easy. You also can’t
go past a good hearty camp oven.
While a few good carbs are great to get the body heat going you want
some slow burning fuels (fat and protein) to sustain the warmth. You will
likely also see yourself slowly turning into a spit roast to warm up the body,
and this is where a jumbo bag of marshmallows will come in handy.

How you, or more precisely the rest of
the family, sleep will determine if you
ever get to go camping in winter again.
And nope, that ‘bargain’ sleeping bag
you picked up from the two-dollar shop is
just not going to cut it up here.
Decent sleeping bags are built to retain
maximum heat, and this is one item where
buying the premium version will save your
immediate health and sanity.
If you have the luxury of space then
an additional woollen blanket will help.
Remember – layers.

There is nothing worse than nally
settling down in your sleeping bag and
getting warm then realising that a toilet
stop beckons. While a cold beer or coffee
at night may seem a good idea, they are
both diuretics so a better option is a nice
hot chocolate.
While many focus on putting layers on
top, most forget that contact with the earth
is where most heat is lost. Air mattresses
may be comfy but they can be a sneaky
cat burglar when it comes to robbing you
of your heat.

Ensure you have good insulation un-
derneath you, especially if you are on a
stretcher bed. A couple of handy tricks
are to get a hotwater bottle to put in your
sleeping bag and to stick the clothes you
want to wear the next day at the bottom
(there is nothing worse than getting up and
having to put on cold clothes).
For those in a tent, it may seem strange
but you really need to leave a window or
air vent open. While sleeping, your breath
creates moisture, forming condensation on
the tent walls. If there’s enough moisture,
water droplets will begin running down
onto your sleeping bag and you will wake
up thinking you have slept in the rain.

The mountains can bring some extra camping challenges in winter. However, just like
your trip to the High Country, with a little preparation and following these handy tips, you
will be able to calmly drift off to sleep to the theme song of ‘The Man from Snowy River’
knowing you are as warm as a cup of hot chocolate.


  1. YOUR CAMPFIRE MEANS EVERYTHING.
    7. YOUR SLEEPING BAG IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.


6.YOUR CAMPFIRE MEANS EVERYTHING.



  1. YOUR SLEEPING BAG IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.


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